


Hiatus-Redux

by TT_Angst_Queen



Series: AttaBot [8]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 19:00:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13196520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TT_Angst_Queen/pseuds/TT_Angst_Queen
Summary: Even Bot's have a burnout point.





	Hiatus-Redux

“McGee!” Tony barked, his circuitry whirring in irritation. 

 

“Yes, Boss!” McGee yelped, looking up from his computer. The older Bot’ studied the Tech-Bot, his optics narrowing. The younger Bot’ looked exhausted, his S-U-F wane and pale from his systems overworked chemicals, his optics were duller, and Tony could hear McGee’s gears catching and jerking. When he observed Bishop, he could see the young Analyst-Bot was in the same shape. If Tony was honest with himself, he had to admit that he was faring much the same way. 

 

Gibbs’ medical leave to places unknown was taking a lot out of all of them. None of them knew when their human would be back, and they didn’t dare call him back until he was ready. Ducky’s warnings that Gibbs’ brain was injured, and his human mind needed time to heal. The ME-Bot told them that it was quite possible that if their human did not get the time off he so desperately needed, they could lose him to any number of complications.

 

So, that left Tony in charge. Without an upgrade in his protocols, Tony just wasn’t made for leading, but he tried his best, running himself ragged in the process.  

 

“Go home, both of you,” Tony stopped them before they protested. “We all need to recharge our systems. I’m gonna ask Vance for some leave for us, a few days off will do us all good,” Tony nodded at their grateful looks. 

 

“Go home, both of you. I’ll call you when I know how much time we have off.” they nodded, and grabbed their bags and left.     

 

Looking around the bullpen with tired, dull optics, Tony shook his head. Maybe he should have taken the directors offer of an upgrade. Tony would have, but he knew Gibbs would be back eventually. When he did, there couldn’t be two leaders. It wouldn’t do to waste the time on an upgrade he would have to downgrade from in the (hopefully) near future. Without the upgrade, Tony’s programming was almost constantly overwhelmed and his systems overworked. 

 

Waiting until Bishop and McGee’s faces had disappeared behind the closed doors of the elevator, Tony made his way up the stairs to the Director's office.

 

He winced as his joints protested and creaked, rust and bits of debris that he hadn't had the time to remove lately, along with not being able to clean or change his oil lately. His whole frame was protesting his treatment of it, and he knew that it was no longer a risk of just  _ powering _ down for a few days to rest and recharge without his say-so, but rather a very good risk of  _ shutting _ down-permanently. And not just him. He knew that while he had it worse because he was doing a job that went against his systems protocols and programming. Tim and Ellie didn’t have that problem, but he could tell they were well on their way to burnout, just like him. The only reason he was not already Shutdown was because he had some extra features and work done after an undercover job that he worked as a navy SEAL-Bot. He had had to have the upgrade, or his cover would have been blown. They could only remove some of the upgrades after, leaving him with things that kept him in way better shape than other Bot’s. He still didn’t know what all had been left behind. But even with the upgrade, he still had limits, and he had more than reached his. 

 

“The Director will see you now Agent DiNozzo,” Cynthia chirped, jerking him out of his thoughts.

 

Nodding at the receptionist, he made his way slowly at stiffly into Vance’s office. He saw the man look up and do a double take at his wane appearance and stiff walk.

 

“Jesus Christ, DiNozzo!” Vance cried, his toothpick dropping from his mouth in shock. 

 

“Sir?” Tony inquired, confused at the reaction.  The Director stared at him with wide eyes for a few moments before looking into his green optics. 

 

“You look like scrap, DiNozzo,” Vance snapped, not unkindly. “I’m guessing your team doesn’t look much different then you right now.” Vance reached into his desk and pulled out a few forms and signed them, stamping them with an official seal. Looking up at Tony with concerned eyes, The dark-skinned Director spoke gently. 

 

“I’m putting you and your team on immediate, emergency medical leave, effective immediately. I know that I haven’t been very observant these past few months, with SecNav Porter keeping me in and out of meetings, but I shouldn’t have let it get this bad. I’m assigning Doctor Mallard as your caretaker while you're all on leave.” he took a breath, looking at the forms then moving to file them. “You all will have as much time as you need,” here, Vance seemed to hesitate. “Jethro called the other day, asked how you all were. He told me he was staying with his father, in Stillwater. I suggest you all go and keep him company. You could all use the time to heal each other.”  

 

Tony thought that was a great idea. 

 

Maybe by now, his lover would remember him?


End file.
